Shanice Williams

She grew up in Rahway, New Jersey. Her mother, Andrea Holmes, is a postal worker; and her father, Shelton Williams, is a security guard. Her cousin, Willis Williams, is an independent professional wrestler known as Ali Shabazz.{{cite news|last1=Ryznik|first1=Melena|title=Shanice Williams on Her Road to Dorothy and 'The Wiz Live!'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/05/arts/television/shanice-williams-on-her-road-to-dorothy-and-the-wiz-live.html|work=The New York Times|date=4 December 2015 |access-date=December 4, 2015}}

She attended Rahway High School, where she performed as part of her school's drama program.Hyman, Vicki. [http://www.nj.com/entertainment/celebrities/index.ssf/2015/08/the_wiz_live_dorothy_cast_shanice_williams.html Also Studied in the arts at Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn Nj. "N.J. newcomer Shanice Williams cast as Dorothy in NBC's 'The Wiz Live!'"], NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 5, 2015. Accessed December 4, 2015. "A little over a year ago, Shanice Williams was making her last curtain call at Rahway High School. Now the 18-year-old is the face of NBC's The Wiz Live!, following in the footsteps of Carrie Underwood and Allison Williams as the star of network's annual musical extravaganza, beating out hundreds of unknowns for the coveted role of Dorothy."

Williams studied briefly at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, but began her singing career in her grandfather's choir.{{cite web|last1=Anderson|first1=Tre'vell|title=Shanice Williams steps into Dorothy's shoes for NBC's 'The Wiz Live!'|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-shanice-the-wiz-20151123-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=23 November 2015 |access-date=December 4, 2015}}

Her first major break was playing the role of Dorothy in The Wiz Live!, a televised program based on the 1975 Broadway theatrical production, The Wiz. Williams was selected for the role through an open casting call when she was 18 years old, which was a collaboration between NBC and the theatrical division of Cirque du Soleil.

In 2017 Williams starred in the HBO film Manic.{{Cite web|title=Manic|url=https://www.katemarks.net/copy-of-homebody|access-date=2021-07-26|website=katemarks|language=en}} For her role in this film, she won best actress in a drama at the New York Television Festival and best actress in a drama at SeriesFest.

In 2018 Williams made her New York stage and Off-Broadway debut in Little Rock, a play about the Little Rock Nine.{{Cite web|last=Clement|first=Olivia|date=April 12, 2018|title=The Wiz Live Star Shanice Williams to Make Off-Broadway Debut in Little Rock|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/the-wiz-live-star-shanice-williams-to-make-off-broadway-debut-in-little-rock|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Playbill|language=en}} A year later, Williams was cast in the Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods which ran July 26–28.{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/patina-miller-gaten-matarazzo-shanice-williams-will-star-in-hollywood-bowls-into-the-woods|title=Patina Miller, Gaten Matarazzo, Shanice Williams Will Star in Hollywood Bowl's Into the Woods|last=Gans|first=Andrew|date=April 24, 2019|website=Playbill|language=en|access-date=2019-08-05}}

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Category:1996 births

Category:American television actresses

Category:21st-century African-American actresses

Category:21st-century American actresses

Category:21st-century American singers

Category:Actresses from New Jersey

Category:21st-century African-American women singers

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Rahway High School alumni

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American women singers

Category:Actors from Union County, New Jersey